Pansy Lee Martin

Pansy (YaYa) Lee Ingham Martin was born November 23, 1929 and passed away October 27, 2017 at the age of 87. Pansy attended Fishweir Elementary, Lake Shore Junior High, and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School. She and Walter eloped to Folkston, GA shortly after graduation and had 53 wonderful years together. She worked at Annie R. Morgan Elementary School as the school secretary for fourteen years; she adored her work with Principal Ruby Johnson, the teachers and staff, and the children. Her two daughters, Pam and Nancee, thought it was pretty cool they got to go to school with her. She nurtured roses, African violets, and children galore! She continued her service to the Duval County School system and worked in Psychological Services for sixteen years. She was a talented seamstress. At forty, she took up running and had a cabinet full of awards. She was a member of the Daughters of the Nile. She and her husband Walter had loads of fun at Shrine dances at Morocco Temple and with the Fun and Frolics Square Dancing Club. They took their turn in keeping the Fun and Frolics decoratively painted hearse in front of their house that they put in good use at ‘dollar a carload’ drive-ins. She loved the beach and shelling, having her daughters’ friends around, dancing, fashion, and playing kickball with the neighborhood kids when Pam and Nancee were in middle school. Her hairdresser was always a significant person in her life!

Her retirement with Walter was rich and full. They traveled in their motorhome to 45 of the 48 contiguous states, seeking to visit the highest and lowest points in each state. In her fifties, she climbed to the top of Mt. Elbert in Colorado (14,440 feet) with her daughter Nancee. Pansy and Walter frequently had one of their four grandchildren traveling with them, and the grandchildren fondly remember YaYa trying everything the grandkids did, like swimming in cold pools, floating down lazy rivers, rolling down sand dunes, and riding roller coasters. She liked caves, waterfalls, train travel, and was a member of the High Pointer’s Club.

Pansy was a docent at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, giving educational presentations to children, which included handling the boa constrictors. Besides handling snakes, she was a proud and active member of the Gator Clowns. Many deep and abiding friendships were formed there as the clowns served those in need of good cheer, smiles, and laughter. She enjoyed her volunteer work for the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts. She was a fierce Scrabble player and someone once described her ‘an animal’ competing in the online scrabble game ‘Words With Friends.’ As an older woman, she hang-glided, swam with dolphins with her granddaughter Lark, rode horses, participated in the Polar Plunges at Jacksonville Beach and in Boulder, zip lined, and hiked down into and back up the Grand Canyon with her entire family.

She grew up a Methodist, was baptized as an adult at Trinity Baptist, and attended the Episcopal Church the last 20 years. In the last year of her life, YaYa got excited in watching her four great grandbabies via face time, enjoyed watching Dancing with the Stars that harkened her back to her dancing days, eating chocolate popcorn, and was ever so grateful for the loving care of her daughter, Pam, who came to live with her in her condo. Community Hospice provided wonderful care during the last five months of her life.

Her husband, Walter, preceded her in death in November 2001, as did her two sisters, Josephine and Glenna, and one of her brothers, Buddy. She is survived by her daughters Pam of Jacksonville and Nancee of Amelia Island; grandchildren Lark (Brad) of Oakland, Lane (Dave) of Boulder, Laurel (Tyler) of Oklahoma City, and Lawrence of Honolulu; as well as four great grandchildren and two brothers Lynwood and Sam. Her family sorely misses her.

A receiving of friends will occur on Thursday, November 16, 2017 at Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 7500 Southside Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida 32256 (http://www.redeemerjax.org/) from 6:00pm until 8:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gator Clowns (http://gatorclowns.com/), Jacksonville Zoo (http://jacksonvillezoo.org/), or St. George Episcopal Church (http://www.saintgeorgejax.org/).

A Memorial Service will occur on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 1:00 pm at St. George Episcopal Church on Ft. George Island in Jacksonville (w.saintgeorgejax.org).

HARDAGE-GIDDENS EDGEWOOD CHAPEL, 729 Edgewood Avenue South, is serving the family.